I've seen some threads on this lens, and it seems to have a fairly useable FX footprint, with only light vignetting at about f5.6-11, and a heavy, 'artistic' vignette wide open. I'm considering one for use as a lightweight, street lens for either a D700 or D800.
I'm not seriously considering the Nikon 35 f1.4 AF-S FX due to size, weight cost, and honestly I'm not blown away by the image quality at f1.4-2.8. I am considering the Samyang 35 f1.4 or the Nikon 35 f1.4 AIS as possible alternates, trading in some cost, size and wight for image quality.
I've also seen those threads, and they inspired me to just go for the 35/2, which I'd strongly recommend. I have both the 35/2 and the 35/1.8 but haven't even bothered using the 1.8 on my D700 because the 35/2 is ace on that camera. If you're interested in a small and lightweight lens at that focal length, I'd look no further.
It's significantly smaller than the 1.8 and definitely focuses faster. Yes, it's 1/3rd of a stop slower, but it's amazing. If you buy it used, too, it doesn't cost much more than the 1.8. And yes, it's glued to my D700. I use it as a walkaround lens and it's pretty much going to be the only lens I use for our weddings this summer.
Here's a sample picture taken with the lens. The lens in the picture is actually the 1.8.
I had the 35mm 1.4g before and I sold it. I now have the 35mm 1.8g and I use it on my d700. Great little lens thats a gem on full frame, you get slight vignetting and you can even correct it in LR or PS. Sometimes the vignetting even helps for whatever kind of photo you are taking.
Here's a link to my shots taken with the 35mm 1.8g on my d700
I use it all the time on my D3. The corners aren't black. It has distortion and CA, yes, so it depends on what you shoot and how much you care about it.
I recently shot a parade with it. Most of the shots are uncropped, so you can see the obvious vignetting.
Robb Mann wrote:
I've seen some threads on this lens, and it seems to have a fairly useable FX footprint, with only light vignetting at about f5.6-11, and a heavy, 'artistic' vignette wide open. I'm considering one for use as a lightweight, street lens for either a D700 or D800.
It's the other way around -- on FX, it's best at/near wide open, and at close focus distances. Beyond 8', especially stopped down, it's terrible. You might as well shoot a 50mm.
Just get the 35/2, especially if you intend to use it outdoors.
I don't like the vignetting of the 35 1.8, the 35 f2.0 gives me too much CA and I am not too impressed by the IQ (could be my copy). I like the Samyang 1.4 for the fun, but of course, you can forget AF... I also have a few nice landscape pics taken with the old 35 2.0AIS
vignetting varies with focus distance and aperture. at infinity, stopped down you can very clearly see the borders of the image circle. wide open, close to mid-distance focus, it's a lot of fun, almost holga-esque at times. when i first got my d700, it was my primary lens for a few months because it was so much fun.
I posted some in another thread too, but here's a few random sample shots with the 35/1.8G DX wide open on the D700 in FX mode. Fun little lens for less than $200!
"Fully usable" does not actually mean what you seem to think it means, but there you have it, in a nutshell.
Well, he said fully usable on a D800 in DX mode - you still get great images with still a lot of pixels.
Actually, on a D800 this is a very intriguing combination. It's a super light weight and small lens that if used for up close imaging you can use the full FX sensor. In DX mode it's completely usable at any distance and is a 50mm equivalent FOV with 15.3MP to use.
